Rise of extremism: who’s who... who is backing ISIS in the Middle East?

1. The Rise of Extremism and the
Ongoing Genocides
Leila Nicolas PhD

2. A “spring” that turned into gloomy
winter

3. The Syrian War ( 2011-
• by August 2015, More than 250,000 Syrians
have lost their lives in four-and-a-half years of
armed conflict, which began on March 2011
with anti-government protests then escalated
into a proxy- international war.
• More than 11 million others have been
displaced from their homes.

4. Crimes against Humanity and war
crimes
Since ISIS took Mosul (Iraq) on June 9, 2014 :
• Reports show extrajudicial and mass killings,
beheadings, abductions, forced conversions,
torture, rape and sexual assault, using women
and children as human shields, and people being
burned or buried alive.
• Women and girls as young as 12 or 13 have been
taken captive, to be sold as sex slaves or put into
forced marriages with ISIS fighters.
• Crucifying people in public squares and stone to
death of women accused of adultery.

5. The Exodus
• The Islamic State (ISIS), Jabhat al-Nsura, Ahrar sham,
Al- fateh army and other terrorist groups found safe
haven in the collapse of the Syrian institutions, so they
attacked, abducted and killed Syrian minorities forcing
them to evacuate.
• in February, ISIS announced that Christians in Raqqa,
Syria must convert to Islam, pay a special tax, or face
death—just as it later did in Mosul, Iraq.
• Since the start of the war till now 700,000 Christians
have left Syria.
Reports say there are NO Christians left in Iraq.

6. Rise of extremism: who’s who
• Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have backed the
extremist groups to outset Assad Regime.
• Having no shared borders with Syria, Qataris and
Saudis could support extremists by money and
arms but could not change the military balance as
Turkey did.
• Of all Syria’s neighbors, Turkey played the Most
DIRECT role in the Syrian war by backing the
militant groups and openly hosting Syrian
political opposition figures.
• Israel, Jordan and some Lebanese factions have
played roles in supporting extremists, but Turkey
has been the MOST influential.

7. The Turkish Geo-strategic position
• Erdogan’s ambitions to regain Turkish traditional
position of primacy in the region.
• Turkey has 1200 km of shared borders with Syria
and Iraq.
• Turkey being a member in NATO.
• Turkey's geographic position greatly enables it to
become Europe's primary transit hub for energy
supplies, especially at a time when Europe is
trying to reduce its dependence on Russia.
• Before the Syrian crisis, it has the leading regional
economy, as well as one of the most dynamic.

8. The Path of terrorists
 Turkey supported the jihadist groups, such as Ahrar al-Sham, Jabhat
al-Nusra, Islamic front and others:
Secret official documents about searching three trucks belonging
to Turkey's national intelligence service (MIT) have been leaked
online. the trucks were found to be transporting missiles, mortars
and anti-aircraft ammunition. The officer that ordered and soldiers
who searched the vehicles are now in prison.
 Washington Post interviewed one of ISIS leaders Abu Youssef who
admitted that the group is receiving weapons from Turkey, in
addition to being treated in Turkish hospitals.
 A German news program showed that Turkey is sending terrorists
into Syria not just allowing them to path.
 Evidences show that MOST of the Jihadists have entered Syria
through the Turkish- Syrian borders.

10. This chart shows the estimated number of foreign
fighters in Iraq/Syria from selected countries in 2015.

11. How are the terrorists funded?
• Initially they rely on wealthy private donors from Gulf Monarchs.
• Payments are extracted from those who pass through, conduct business
in, or simply live in their territories.
• Taxes paid by religious minorities in return of safety and security.
• ISIS is "probably the best-funded terrorist organization" the US has ever
confronted, according to US officials.
 ISIS alone makes between $846,000 and $1.645m /day selling oil from
fields in Syria and Iraq.
• Kidnapping has generated at least $20m in ransom payments in 2014,
according to the US Treasury.
• ISIS raises several million dollars per month through extort the eight
million people under its full or partial control.
• they also profit from robbing banks, looting and selling antiquities, and
stealing or controlling the sale of livestock and crops.
• Abducted girls and women have allegedly been sold as sex slaves.

12. The West accuses Turkey
 US Vice President Joe Biden, accused Turkey of backing ISIS. ( 4
Oct, 2014)
 After a US raid on ISIS figure Abu Sayyaf, hundreds of
documents seized from his place reveal direct dealings
between Turkish officials and ranking ISIS members was
“undeniable”. (the guardian- 26July, 2015)
• From mid-2013, terrorists had been smuggling oil from Syria’s
eastern fields.
• Black market oil quickly became the main driver of ISIS
revenues – and Turkish buyers were its main clients.

13. Oil revenues

14. Turkish Support
 According to Pulitzer-prize winning reporter Seymour Hersh
and leaked phone calls between top Turkish officials, Turkey
has carried out the chemical weapons attack which has been
blamed on Assad, and has planned other “false flag attacks”
within Turkey.
 Opposition Turkish lawmakers say that the government is
protecting and cooperating with ISIS and Al Qaeda terrorists,
and providing free medical care to their leaders.
 According to a leading Turkish newspaper (Today’s Zaman),
Turkish nurses are sick of providing free medical treatment to
ISIS terrorists in Turkish hospitals. – Turkish Government
denied.

15. This photograph shows ISIS commander Abu Muhammad, April 16,
2014, allegedly receiving free treatment in Hatay State Hospital after
being injured during fighting in Idlib, Syria.

16. The Russians intervene militarily

17. Future of extremism after Russian
intervention
Now, Turkey is facing many challenges:
• 1. Pursuing a trade-off policy: In no sense can Turkey face Russia militarily in
Syria. The Russian- Turkish economic ties dictate the relation:
• Russia has implemented a project to construct a nuclear plant worth $21bn, as
Russia supplies Turkey with more than 50% of its gas needs. the volume of trade
exchange between Turkey and Russia reached more than $32.7bn in 2013.
• 2. The NATO assistance: Ankara resorted to NATO, who emphasized their support
of Turkey against Russia ‘if necessary’, but It seems that NO ONE in the west is
ready to confront the Russians.
• 3. Bargaining the refugee issue: Suddenly the influx of refugees threatened EU in
August 2015. Turkey is trying to bargain with Europe using the refugee crisis. This
pushed the President of the European Council Donald Tusk to warn Turkey that
they would “not obtain concessions from the European Union such as visa facilities
unless they succeed in reducing the flows of refugees arriving to Europe.”
• 4. Escalating fears that Kurds will extend towards Turkey: Without a doubt, these
concerns have grown due to indicators of Russian-Kurdish cooperation in Syria,
which became evident after Kurdish protection units requested that Russia allow
them to participate in military operations.

18. The decline!!
• Forget about establishing a buffer zone: After the Russian
intervention, Erdogan has lost any ability to create a buffer zone
repeatedly called for by Turkey in order to reduce the intensity of
pressures imposed by the flow of Syrian refugees.
• The decline of the Syrian military opposition: The opposition and
military groups had not been capable of achieving results that may
lead to the collapse of the Syrian regime. Now the political
opposition seems weaker than ever, and the militant and terrorist
groups have been weakened by the Russian airstrikes.
• In light of the above, Turkey has to accept reality as it is, and the
more likely scenario is that the crescendo of extremism has reached
its climax in 2014- 2015 and it is time to decline.
• If this Scenario completes, the Syrian minorities will have better life
conditions.

19. What can we do?
1. Believe in your ability to win the battle against
terrorists i.e. win the war of ideas.
2. Defend your basic rights, esp. the right to life
and freedom of conscious.
3. Resist all the plots that don’t respect the
people’s right to self determination.
4. Be aware of the psychological war: Fight back.
5. Don’t ever collaborate (unintentionally) in
spreading terror through social media.
6. Be Resilient.